i wouldn't have said it in the months following my wedding, but now that we are closing in on a year of marriage i can admit that i would like to do it all over again. it was pretty epic. but alas, it was a one time thang. 

luckily, i'm going to relive working with a lot of my wedding vendors next week for a photo shoot. i'll be cooking up appetizers, a dessert bar and some cocktails for a wedding/engagement inspiration shoot. 

with halloween and the shoot on the horizon, i've been working on some dark, moody cocktails. this one was so good i've already had two. tgif. 

blackberry lemondrop
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes
ingredients: 1.5 oz vodka. 1 oz lemon juice. .5 oz triple sec. .5 oz simple syrup. 6 blackberries. 1 lemon slice for garnish. 1 cup crushed ice. pint glass. tumbler for serving. 

start by muddling 5 of your blackberries in a small bowl. they are very easy to smash. reserve 1 blackberry for garnish. 

in a pint glass, combine the ice, vodka, lemon juice, triple sec and simple syrup. stir well and pour the ice/cocktail into a tumbler. 

our your blackberry puree over the top of your cocktail.

garnish glass with a blackberry and slice of lemon and serve. 

xo,a

blackberry lemondrop
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes
ingredients: 1.5 oz vodka. 1 oz lemon juice. .5 oz triple sec. .5 oz simple syrup. 6 blackberries. 1 lemon slice for garnish. 1 cup crushed ice. pint glass. tumbler for serving.
start by muddling 5 of your blackberries in a small bowl. they are very easy to smash. reserve 1 blackberry for garnish.
in a pint glass, combine the ice, vodka, lemon juice, triple sec and simple syrup. stir well and pour the ice/cocktail into a tumbler.
pour your blackberry puree over the top of your cocktail. garnish glass with a blackberry and slice of lemon and serve. 

right now in my life, i'm a yes girl. 

i'm just over a year out from corporate life, and while the financial situation may not be as comfortable as i would like, for the first time in my life i am truly free. free from bad bosses. free from restrictive schedules. free from time that is not my own. and i am free to say yes to anything and everything i want to say yes to.

from a very young age we are asked, "what do you want to be when your grow up?" and naturally, it changes as we age. because when you three and they ask you that question your knowledge of the world is limited and at that point you can count possible career fields on one hand. but as we age, our knowledge grows and we figure out what we like to do and what we are good at doing. 

but the discovery of what we like to do and what we are good at is a lifelong process, yet we are asked to choose a career field before we finish off our second decade of life. and like many others, the choices i made when i went off to study at college, and when i graduated college, and all throughout my twenties, lead me to a place i discovered i didn't really want to be. so i started over. and now i'm saying yes.

now there is a time and a place for everything. and there was a time in my life where the answers needed to be no. no i don't have time for that. no i can not fit that into my schedule. no i can not put you before me. and no was the right answer then and it might be the right answer for you now. 

however, if you are feeling unsettled, complaisant, or just down right up the wrong stream with out a paddle, maybe it is also time for you to say yes. yes to new people, yes to new place, yes to new things. just YES. 

ok. that is enough inspiration for one week. now how about a stiff drink? whether you are currently loving your life, or in need of some change, everyone could use a pick me up. so enjoy this friday moment with a drink that is sure to brighten up your day. 

pomegranate cosmo
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
total time: 6 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 1.5 oz pomegranate juice (i muddled my own, but you could easily buy some). 1 tsp pomegranate seeds. 1 tsp lime juice. .5 oz triple sec or other citrus liquor. club soda. cup of ice. lemon twist or slice of zest for garnish. 

in a pint glass or shaker, combine the vodka, triple sec, lime juice and pomegranate juice with the ice. shake well to combine.

strain the mixture into a martini glass. top the drink off with desired amount of club soda. 

garnish with pomegranate seeds and lemon zest and serve. 

xo, a

pomegranate cosmo
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
total time: 6 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 1.5 oz pomegranate juice (i muddled my own, but you could easily buy some). 1 tsp pomegranate seeds. 1 tsp lime juice. .5 oz triple sec or other citrus liquor. club soda. cup of ice. lemon twist or slice of zest for garnish.
in a pint glass or shaker, combine the vodka, triple sec, lime juice and pomegranate juice with the ice. shake well to combine.
strain the mixture into a martini glass. top the drink off with desired amount of club soda.
garnish with pomegranate seeds and lemon zest and serve.